


Inked Universe

by Galactic_fire



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Disapproving Dad Time, Fluff, Humour, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe, Twilight’s tattoo parlor, Warriors is basically his bro, Wind gets a tattoo, Wind is babey, Wind is lowkey afraid of needles, but he’s a brave lil boy, fic is heavily based on my real life experience with my first tat, good old stick and poke tattoos, hurty owie times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 17:43:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21165587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galactic_fire/pseuds/Galactic_fire
Summary: Wind wants a tattoo and Twilight is willing to provide.But soon he starts to have second thoughts...Needles aren’t that bad, right?





	Inked Universe

“Twilight, do you think I could get a tattoo?”

A sudden silence came over the campfire, save only the noise of Legend chocking on his water. 

Twilight stared at Wind for much longer than was comfortable. 

“You...want a tattoo Wind?” He said. Still trying to process what he just heard. 

“Yeah!” Wind stated defensively. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Wind you realize what getting a tattoo entails right?” Warriors asked cautiously. 

“Yeah” Legend butted in, still coughing. “A big fucking needle.”

“I only want a small one!” Wind whined. “Just a little one on my arm is all”. 

The gang all looked at each other in both concern and curiosity until Time spoke. 

“No. You’re too young to get a tattoo.”

“Why?!” Wind pouted. “I’m old enough to make these decisions by myself!”

“It’s not a wise idea to put something permanently on your body at your age, trust me Wind.”

Wind huffed and sulked, looking angrily at the ground. 

“You guys always treat me like a kid.”

There was another awkward silence until Twilight spoke up. 

“If you want one I’ll do it for you Wind”

“WHAT?!” Yelled several voices. 

It was very much out of character for Twilight, hell, for anyone to go against Time’s orders. This in particular seemed like something Twilight would also advise not to do, despite having done his own tattoos himself. 

Wind immediately perked up. 

“You will?!” 

“You...will?!” Echoed Wild, quite flabbergasted at his mentors choice. 

“Twilight...” Time said in a warning voice. 

“Wind’s right” explained Twilight. “It’s up to him to make these decisions for himself. If he wants a tattoo he can have one.”

Wind’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. Meanwhile Time still gave Twilight a look of disapproval. 

“Oh, thank you Twi!” Wind exclaimed, pulling the older hero into a hug. 

“Well then, I want nothing to do with this” Time sighed in defeat. “I’m going to bed, don’t say I didn’t warn you..”

The gang watched as Time left and then looked back to the youngest hero. 

“Eh, he’s an old sour puss anyway...” Warriors remarked. “So what are you thinking getting done Wind?” 

Wind turned to face him, grinning from ear to ear. “A seagull!”

Legend tensed. 

Wind lifted up the sleeve on his left arm and made a circular motion on a patch of skin just below his elbow. 

“Right here!”

“Wow.” Hyrule chuckled “You’ve been thinking this out for a while now haven’t you?”

Wind nodded, blushing bashfully. “I’ve wanted one for months now..”. 

“Hold on” Twilight interrupted. 

“Of course I can do your tattoo Wind, and I’m glad you’re enthusiastic, but I hope you realize that getting a tattoo isn’t the most....pleasant thing in the world..”

Wind turned to him and tilted his head. “Of course! I know it’s gonna hurt, but it’s not THAT bad right?”

Twilight bit his lip. “Depends I suppose..anyway, making the ink and getting the appropriate needle won’t be simple.” He stated. “You better be sure you want this if I’m going to commit to this”. 

Wind hesitated for a moment but replied by giving him an affirmative nod. 

“Well it’s settled then” decided Twilight. 

“I’ll help you with getting the ink ingredients” Wild piped up. 

“And I can help with the needle” Four joined in. 

“Great, thank you guys” said Twilight. “We should have everything we need in a few days, maybe even tomorrow at this rate.”

“Oooh this is exciting” Sky cooed giddily. “Twilight’s tattoo parlor is gonna be open for business.”

Legend scoffed. “At least if his first customer doesn’t run away crying.”

Wind glared at him. “I can handle a little needle Legend!”

“We’ll see about that” the older hero remarked. 

Later that night when the other heroes were still talking around the camp fire, Twilight went off to bed, only to be greeted by a ticked off Time. 

“What do you think you’re doing Twi?” He stated coldly. 

Twilight chuckled. “Relax old man”. 

“It’s like I said, if Wind wants a tattoo I’m not stopping him. But you know as well as I do he could easily change his mind as soon as that needle touches his skin. If he wants to prove himself, he can. You know that’s probably what this is all about right?”

Time sighed. 

He didn’t quite understand why Wind was always so eager to prove his worth. He’d been through as much as everyone else, and in everyone else’s eyes he was just as much a hero is the rest of them. 

He could only assume it came down to age. 

Wind was the youngest of the group and quite often he was certainly treated that way. Time knew that deep down he surely wanted to just be seen as an adult by the rest of the group, yet, he wasn’t one. And a tattoo wouldn’t prove that. 

“I hope for your sake he does back out you know” Time said. 

“They’re going to start lining up looking for work from you if not.”

That got a laugh out of Twi. 

“We’ll just have to see, Time. We’ll just have to see...” 

The next day Wild and Twilight left early to go looking for suitable ingredients for black ink. Meanwhile, Four was rummaging through his bits and bobs trying to find a needle, or at least, something he could fashion into a makeshift needle. 

The rest of the gang decided to take a day off and relax. 

Wind however was starting to feel..a little nervous...

He would never admit it of course, but he was starting to have second thoughts. 

Truthfully a tattoo had been a fantasy of his for a while now. The seagull flying on his arm, so he could remember the Great Sea and Outset Island, and of course Aryll and Grandma. Something to remind him of home as he traveled with his fellow incarnations. 

But unfortunately, he hadn’t really predicted the fantasy to come true, at all. 

In his mind when he asked Twilight the answer would be a resounding no. But now that he had the go ahead, he realized that he really HADN’T accounted for the pain of a needle entering his skin over and over again...

He was taken from his thoughts when Warriors entered through his bedroom door. 

“I’m going fishing bud, wanna come?”

Wind nodded. 

At least this would take his mind off things...

The river lapped quietly along in the midday sun as Warriors and Wind sat on a tree stump and watched the floater at the end of the rod bobbing in current. 

“So when do you think the others will be back?” Warriors asked. 

Oh. 

Wind almost felt a chill go up his spine. He had been relaxing but now Warriors put the idea in his head again. 

“No idea..” he mumbled. 

It was a silly thing to worry about right? He had countless scars over his body from arrows, swords, you name it. Yet he was afraid of being pinched by a teeny tiny needle? What on earth was wrong with him? 

“You know?” Said Warriors. “I’m actually really surprised you’re getting a tattoo. Why do you want it so much?”

“U-um” Wind replied, voice cracking a little. 

Shit Link, pull yourself together. 

“I want it to remember my Hyrule by...I do miss it a lot these days...”

Warriors blinked. 

“That’s....that’s really surprising, but really sweet Wind. What a nice idea.”

Wait what?

“Why is it surprising?” Wind asked. 

Shit. Poor choice of words Warriors. 

“Well um...I suppose...I kind’ve thought you wanted to get one just to come across as...more mature?” Warriors stumbled over his words. 

Oh. Oh so that’s how it is. 

“You think I’m trying to prove myself again huh?” Wind huffed. 

“I didn’t mean to offend you! I-“

“No! For once I’m getting this for ME”. 

Warriors opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. Letting Wind cool off. 

“Sorry” he mumbled. Wind sighed “it’s ok, I’m sorry too. I just-“

The two were interrupted by someone yelling their name. 

Hyrule. 

“Guys! Guys! Twi and Wild are back and they’ve got the ink.”

The two looked at each other. 

“Guess we better go then” said Warriors. 

“Are you feeling alright?” Warriors asked his younger incarnation as they walked back to camp. 

Shit. His nerves really were obvious now, weren’t they?

“You know you can back out now, right? No one is forcing you to do this.”

“I’m fine” Wind insisted. 

It’s just a needle. 

Just a teeny tiny little needle. 

It wasn’t long before the two arrived where Twilight had set up his makeshift tattoo parlor. All of the Links, bar Time, were gathered round, in curiosity, excitement and dread as they watched Wild measuring the thin black dye into a bowl and Four explaining the needle he fashioned to Twilight. 

“You actually showed up huh?” Legend laughed as the youngest hero shakily arrived. 

“Shut up Legend, of course I did!” He snapped. 

“Woah, no need to take your nerves out on me” Legend teased. 

“Leave him alone Legend” Hyrule instructed. And the older hero grumpily obliged. 

Wind sat down in the chair and rolled up his sleeve. 

Twilight raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” He asked. “Now’s your last chance to back out.”

No. No more being a afraid of teeny tiny needles. He was gonna make his fantasy come true. He was gonna prove himself. 

Oh. Well maybe this WAS about proving himself after all. 

“I’m ready” he nodded to Twilight. 

Everybody held their breath as Twilight moved the needle to meet Wind’s skin. 

Wind himself shut his eyes tight. 

And then he felt what he could only describe as a “pop” as the needle made its way through the first layer of skin. 

And then came another pop, and another. 

Wind opened his eyes, trying to decide just how this felt. 

Another pop and Wind’s brain has decided to finally pick up the sensation in his skin. 

The Links all looked down at him, eyes wide, waiting for him to say or do anything. 

“Are...you ok bud?” Warriors asked. 

Wind sucked in a deep breath of air and paused for a moment before letting out exactly what was on his mind. 

“Oooooowwwwwww”

The tattoo was painful. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting. 

Every time the needle came in and out it left a sharp sting. 

After his initial reaction Wind mostly just hissed and moaned in pain, not making conversation or anything else. 

The rest of the Links all stayed nonetheless. Most of them watching with both fascination and sympathy. 

But despite all the pain Wind couldn’t help but feel smug when he saw the way Legend looked impressed. He definitely didn’t think he’d last that long did he?

His thoughts were interrupted when Twilight hit a particularly sensitive spot of skin. 

“Ah!” He yelped. Gritting his teeth. 

Suddenly Warriors broke out from the crowd and went to kneel beside him. 

“Wind, would you like to take my hand? Do you think it’ll help?”

Wind so desperately wanted to say no. Not wanting to show is vulnerability in front of the others. Wanting to grin and bare it, but fuck, he needed this right now. 

Squeezing the older heroes hand, he’s sure he heard Sky let out an “awww” somewhere in the background. 

“Th-ANK you WarrIORs” Wind hissed to the best of his ability. 

“No problem bud” he smiled. 

Time was in his room reading when he heard the young hero come in yelling his name followed by a gaggle of footsteps. 

He sat up to see Wind, standing proud, yet shakily in front of him brandishing his arm. On it, the silhouette of a seagull, freshly inked. 

The other Links were surrounding him, all getting a good look. 

Damn it. 

Time couldn’t help but smile. 

The little goofball had actually done it, and his smug little grin just got to him. 

“Nice job Twilight” Time complimented. His protégé smiled and nodded behind Wind. 

Time sighed. 

“I still don’t approve of you having this, you know, but I will give credit where credit is due, you were very brave to get this Wind” 

The little hero blushed and continued to smile to the point where his cheeks were hurting. 

“Not that you weren’t already brave, Hero of Winds” Time got up and ruffled his hair.   
“C’mon, Dinner time I’d say, right Wild?”

“Absolutely” Wild confirmed. His belly rumbling in response. 

“Oooh Twilight” Sky said. “Do you think you could do me a tattoo of my crimson Loftwing? You’d have to find red ink though..”

Twilight sighed and Time let out a chuckle. 

The old man was right, Twilight’s tattoo parlor really WAS gonna be open for business at this point.

**Author's Note:**

> So basically I got my first tat in late summer this year. 
> 
> I was UNBELIEVABLY nervous and honestly it really did hurt. But when you’ve got low pain tolerance and sensitive skin that’s bound to happen. 
> 
> But don’t let this fic or my experience put you off. I love my tattoo so much and Wind loves his little seagull too. The pain is worth it!


End file.
